PARTIAL DERIVATIVES

Solution (b) :
(Engineering Problems)
EXAMPLE 1 : Thermodynamics

The pressure , P , of a gas is given by :

KT
P where K is a constant,
V

T is temperature and V is volume.

P
Find a ) and b )  P
T V 1 4

Solution (a) : Solution (b) : continue…….

2 5

Solution (a) : continue……. Solution (b) : continue…….

3 6

1
 EXAMPLE 2 : Fluid mechanics Solution : continue…….

2 2
Given the function f ( x, y )  ln( x  y ) 2 f   2x  2x u
  2 
x 2
x  x  y 2  x  y2
2
v
Show that for a fluid flow to be a
potential flow, it must satisfy  u 'v  uv '  Quotient rule
Laplace’s equation which is   2

 v 
given by : 2 2 u  2x v  x2  y 2
 f  f
  0 u' 
u
2 v' 
v
x 2
y 2 2(x2  y 2 )  (2x)(2x) x x
 2x  0
  2 x10
7
(x 2  y 2 ) 2

Solution : Solution : continue…….

Given f ( x, y )  ln( x 2  y 2 )
 2 f 2x 2  2 y 2  4x 2
Step 1 : Find the first order partial derivative

x 2 ( x 2  y 2 )2

 2x 2  2 y 2

(x 2  y 2 )2
8 11

2 f
Solution : continue……. Solution : continue…….find
y 2
Therefore, the second partial derivatives are : The second partial derivatives is :

 2 f   f 
  
x 2 x  x  result from
step 1

  2x 
  
x  x 2  y 2 
Quotient rule 9 12

2
 Solution : continue……. Example 3 :
Verify that W ( x, t )  sin( x  2t )
2 f   2y 
  2 
y 2
y  x  y 2  is a solution of the one-dimensional wave equation :
 2W  2W
2
4 2
t x

Remark: We have to show that

left hand side answer = right hand side answer
13 16

Solution : continue……. Solution :

Given W ( x, t )  sin( x  2t )

14 17

Solution : continue……. Solution : continue…….

15 18

3
Solution : continue……. Example 4 :

x
Determine whether u ( x , y )  xy 
y
is a solution of the partial differential
equation :

 2u  2u
y  2 x  2x
y 2  x y
19 22

Given x
Solution : continue……. Solution : u ( x, y )  xy 
function y
Remark :
if a function is solution of a equation,
the function must satisfy the equation.

 2u  2u
y 2  2x  2x
y xy

20
Step 1 Step 2 23

Solution : continue……. Solution : continue…….

left hand side of the wave equation is

 2W same
  4 sin(x  2t )
t 2
right hand side of the wave equation is
 2W
 
4 2  4  sin( x  2t )  4 sin( x  2t )
x
 2W  2W
Hence :  4 (Verify !)
t 2 x 2 21 24

4
25 28

26 29

27 30

5
 APPLICATION OF PARTIAL DERIVATIVES
(Apply Small Change to Engineering problems)

Engineering components are subjects to tolerance limits.

For example : a resistor might be 10 k  5%
where 5% refers to the tolerance limit of the resistor. Let
f ( x, y ) be a function of x, y and x , y
be a small changes in x and y respectively, then the
change in f refer to  f is approximately

f f
f  x  y
31
x y 34

If f is a function with 3 independent variables x, y, z

f ( x, y , z ) , then the change in f is :

f f f
f  x  y  z
x y z

32 35

Conclusion : Example 5 : Type 1 ( Change of value)

x The power P consumed by a resistor, R is given by :

u ( x, y )  xy 
y E2
P . Given that E = 20 Volts, R  1 k
R
is a solution of the partial differential find the approximate change in power P if E is
equation : decreased by 0.5 V and R is increasing by 50 

 2u  2u
y 2  2x  2x
y xy
33 36

6
 Solution : Step 1 Example 6 : Type 2 (Change in %)
The modulus of rigidity G of a shaft of length L
From the formula :
P P
P  E  R and radius R is given by :
R 4
E R G where
L
Step 2  is the angle of twist. After heat treatment
Given the information :
during a forging process, R is reduced by 0.5% ,
E is decreased by 0 .5 V and R is increasing by 50 
 is increased by 2% and L is increased by 1.5%.
Find the approximate percentage change in G
E  0.5 R  50
caused by the heat treatment.

37 40

E2 Solution : There are 3 independent

Given P variables
R
Step 1
So the formula :
P   E2  P   E2 
    
E E  R 

R R  R  G G G
G  R    L
1  R  L

R E
 
E2  E2
 1
 
E  R 
Step 2
1 
 2 E  E 2
R 1  
R E Step 1 : Given R  0.5% of R   0.005R
2E E 2   2% of   0.02
  1 
R  E 2   2    2 38 41

 R  R L  1.5% of L  0.015L

P P
From the formula : P  E  R Solution : Continue……(step 2)
E R
substitute
R 4
 2E   E2  Step 2 :Given G 
  0.5    2  50 L
 R   R 
  R 4    3
G
    R 4   L 4R 3   4R 
Substitute given R R  L  L  R L
E=20 volts  2  20   20 2 
  0.5    50
2 
R  1K  1000   1000   1000  G   R 4  R4  R4 R4
       1 
   L  L  L L
 0.04 waat
G   R 4   1 R 4
   R 4   
So, the power is reduced by approximately 0.04 waat L L  L  L  L  L2
39 42

7
 G G G Solution : Continue……(step 2)
G  R    L
R  L
substitute
kL
 4 R 3   R4   R 4  Step 2 : Given 
   0.005 R    0.02     2 0.015 L  D4
 L   L   L 
   kL  k  k k

0.02 R 4 0.02 R 4 0.015 R 4
  simplify
    4
L L  D 4 
L   D 4 1  D 4
D L
L L L
R 4
  0.02  0.02  0.015 factorize    kL    1  4  4kL
L    kL    kL 5  
D D  D 4  D  D 4  D  D5
 G  0.015 Answer in
term of G

 1.5% G (So, the approximate percentage

change in G is reduction of 1.5%) 43 46

Example 7 : Type 3(Largest percentage error)  

  L  D
L D
The coefficient of rigidity ,  , of a wire of  k   4 kL 
kL   4  0.003 L     5  0.004 D 
length L and diameter D is given by :    D   D 
D4
where k is a constant. Find the largest  kL   kL 
 0.003 4   0.016  4  simplify
D   D 
percentage error in  if the error in measuring kL
  0.003  (0.016) factorize

L and D is  0.3% and  0.4% respectively. D4

Answer in
   0.003  ( 0.016) term of p

44 47

Solution : There are 2 independent Note : The largest error occurs when choose :
variables + 0.003 and – 0.016 or - 0.003 and + 0.016

Step 1
So the formula :
   0.003  ( 0.016)
 
  L  D by choosing + 0.003 and – 0.016 :
L D
Step 2
   0.003  (0.016)
Given the percentage error are :    0.019
L  0.3% of L   0.003L    1.9% Multiply by 100%

D  0.4% of D   0.004 D 45
So, the largest error in  is 1.9% 48